{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,29]],"date-time":"2026-09-29T14:09:32Z","timestamp":1790690972622,"version":"4.1.0"},"reference-count":26,"publisher":"BMJ","issue":"4","content-domain":{"domain":["bmj.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["BMJ Case Rep"],"accepted":{"date-parts":[[2021,3,30]]},"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2021,4]]},"abstract":"<jats:p>Postpartum peripheral nerve disorders are an uncommon obstetrical complication, with most cases resulting from intrinsic obstetric palsies. We present the case of a full-term nulliparous pregnant 33-year-old woman with a vacuum-assisted vaginal delivery due to a prolonged second stage of labour and occipitoposterior position of the fetal head. For analgesia, a combined spinal\u2013epidural technique was used. Four hours after delivery, the patient experienced a painless asymmetric motor deficit and hypoesthesia in the lower limbs, followed by sphincter disturbance. Emergent MRI was unremarkable. Electromyography showed signs of a bilateral lumbosacral radiculopathy. The patient experienced a gradual recovery over the following 2 months. Although a definitive aetiological diagnosis could not be confirmed, a lumbosacral polyradiculopathy due to intrinsic obstetric complication was considered. The patient presented several risk factors known to be associated with intrinsic obstetric palsies. Obstetricians and anaesthesiologists have an important role in preventing and diagnosing postpartum peripheral nerve disorders.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1136\/bcr-2021-241669","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2021,4,21]],"date-time":"2021-04-21T13:02:31Z","timestamp":1619010151000},"page":"e241669","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1136\/crossmarkpolicy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["Postpartum lumbosacral radiculopathy: a neuraxial anaesthesia complication or an intrinsic obstetric palsy?"],"prefix":"10.1136","volume":"14","author":[{"given":"Leonor Silva","family":"Sousa","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Anesthesiology, Centro Hospitalar Universit\u00e1rio Lisboa Norte EPE, Lisbon, Portugal"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"J\u00e2nia","family":"Pacheco","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Anesthesiology, Centro Hospitalar Universit\u00e1rio Lisboa Norte EPE, Lisbon, Portugal"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5962-1560","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Catarina","family":"Reis-de-Carvalho","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"PTCSRT, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA"},{"name":"Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Medicine, Centro Hospitalar Universit\u00e1rio Lisboa Norte EPE, Lisbon, Portugal"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Filipa","family":"Lan\u00e7a","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Anesthesiology, Centro Hospitalar Universit\u00e1rio Lisboa Norte EPE, Lisbon, Portugal"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"239","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2021,4,21]]},"reference":[{"key":"2025082623415054000_14.4.e241669.1","first-page":"279","article-title":"Incidence of postpartum lumbosacral spine and lower extremity nerve injuries","volume":"101","author":"Wong","year":"2003","journal-title":"Obstet Gynecol"},{"key":"2025082623415054000_14.4.e241669.2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"141","DOI":"10.1213\/ANE.0000000000000452","article-title":"Postpartum spinal cord, root, plexus and peripheral nerve injuries involving the lower extremities: a practical approach","volume":"120","author":"O'Neal","year":"2015","journal-title":"Anesth Analg"},{"key":"2025082623415054000_14.4.e241669.3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1097\/00000542-200608000-00023"},{"key":"2025082623415054000_14.4.e241669.4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"823","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ncl.2012.06.004","article-title":"Neurologic complications in the patient receiving obstetric anesthesia","volume":"30","author":"Kowe","year":"2012","journal-title":"Neurol Clin"},{"key":"2025082623415054000_14.4.e241669.5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1054\/ijoa.1999.0347"},{"key":"2025082623415054000_14.4.e241669.6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"149","DOI":"10.1016\/j.pmr.2007.10.004","article-title":"Peripheral neuropathy in pregnancy","volume":"19","author":"Massey","year":"2008","journal-title":"Phys Med Rehabil Clin N Am"},{"key":"2025082623415054000_14.4.e241669.7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1097\/00000542-200410000-00021"},{"key":"2025082623415054000_14.4.e241669.8","unstructured":"Royal College of Anaesthetists . 3Rd national audit project (NAP3). 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